SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
   John Vasconcellos, Chair
2003-2004 Regular Session

BILL NO:       AB 356
AUTHOR:        Hancock
AMENDED:       June 23, 2003
FISCAL COMM:   Yes            HEARING DATE:  July 2, 2003
URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:James Wilson

SUBJECT:  K-12 Pupil Testing

SUMMARY

This bill revises the state testing program to repeal
school and staff rewards programs, provide for diagnostic
assessment but not standardized testing in grade 2 and
delay the requirement to pass the exit exam for high school
graduation.

BACKGROUND

Current law requires school districts to annually
administer standardized tests to pupils in grades 2 to 11
under the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)
Program.  Currently, pupils take both the California
Standards Test, which is aligned to California's adopted
academic content standards and a national norm- referenced
test that is currently the CAT/6 "off the shelf" basic
skills test published by CTB/McGraw-Hill.  The CAT/6 tests
reading and language arts, spelling and mathematics at
grades 2 through 8, and reading and language arts,
mathematics and science at grades 9 through 11.  Scores on
both the standards test and the norm-referenced test are
currently used to establish each school's API, or Academic
Performance Index.

Current law also provides for a Certificated Staff
Performance Incentive that provides one-time performance
awards of up to $25,000 to teachers and other certificated
staff in schools with APIs below 6, where the academic
performance of pupils improves beyond the percentage growth
target established for a given year.  Awards can only be
made when funds are budgeted for them and no appropriation
has been scheduled in the pending budget.

Current law authorizes a Governor's Performance Award
Program to provide monetary and non-monetary awards to
schools that meet or exceed API performance growth targets.
The financial awards may not exceed $150 per pupil to the
schools and the non-monetary awards include, but are not
limited to, classification as a distinguished school,
listing on a published public school honor roll, and public
commendations by the Governor and the Legislature.

Current law requires that all pupils, beginning with the
2003-04 school year, pass the California High School Exit
Exam (CAHSEE) in mathematics and language arts in order to
graduate and receive a diploma of graduation from high
school.  In the spring 2002 administration of the CAHSEE,
only 48% of pupils passed both parts of the exam and only
13% of disabled students passed the test.       AB 1609 of
2001 (Chapter 716) required a study of whether
standards-based instruction is sufficient to support the
use of the CAHSEE for the Class of 2004 and authorized the
State Board of Education to decide, after reviewing this
study, whether the CAHSEE requirement should be deferred.
The study has been completed and shows that most pupils
have not had the opportunity to learn the subjects on the
exit exam.  At its meeting on July 9, 2003, the State Board
of Education is expected to delay the requirement to pass
the CAHSEE in order to graduate.  Superintendent Jack
O'Connell has already cancelled test administrations that
were planned for this summer and fall and called for a two
year delay in the graduation requirement.

Current law calls for the State Board of Education to
consider, and recommend to the Legislature, other criteria
by which high school pupils who are regarded as proficient
but unable to pass the high school exit examination may
demonstrate their competence.  Suggested criteria include
exemplary academic record and alternative tests of equal
rigor.

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1)   Repeals the Certificated Staff Performance Incentive
Rewards program.

2)   Repeals the Governor's Performance Award Program.

3)   Repeals the requirement for STAR testing in grade 2 as
               of July 1, 2004.

4)   Requires the State Board of Education, assisted by the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, to examine
alternatives to testing pupils in grade 2 in order to
inform instruction (diagnostic) and be consistent with
best practices in early childhood pedagogy.  The Board
is required to report its finding to the Legislature
by February 15, 2004.

5)   Delays the requirement to pass the exit exam in order
to graduate high school by two years so that the
initial class required to pass the exam will be the
class of 2005-06.

6)   Authorizes school districts to decide how to use the
results of the high school exit exam as part of their
local graduation requirements until the 2005-06 school
year.

7)   Requires the State Board of Education to report by
February 15, 2004 on criteria that might be employed
as an alternative to the high school exit exam in order
to allow capable pupils to receive a diploma without passing the exam.

STAFF COMMENTS

Conforming to the Budget  In a previously amended version,
this bill would have repealed the STAR testing requirement
for grade 2 effective with the 2003-04 year. However, the
conference committee version of the budget bill continues
funding for grade 2 testing for the 2003-04 year and this
bill has thus been amended to make its repeal of second
grade testing effective July 1, 2004.  This revision will
also give the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the
State Board of Education time to consider and report to the
legislature on possible alternative diagnostic assessments
that might replace STAR testing in grade 2.

SUPPORT

Association of California School Administrators
California Alliance for Arts Education
California Association for Bilingual Education
California Association of Resource Specialists and Special
Education Teachers
California Association of Student Councils
California Coalition for Authentic Reform in Education
California County Boards of Education
California Federation of Teachers
California School Boards Association
California State PTA
California Teachers Association
California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Californians for Justice
Fair Assessment Network
School Voices
United Teachers of Los Angeles
Letters from Individuals

OPPOSITION

California Federation of Republican Women
California Business for Education Excellence


ATTACHMENT

     California Standards Testing

The California Standards Tests in English language arts,
mathematics, science, and history/social science are
required as follows:

All students in grades 2-11 take the English Language Arts
grade level exam.

Students in grades 4 and 7 also take a writing test, which
is incorporated into the total English Language Arts score
for those grade levels.

All students in grades 9-11 take the History/Social Science
grade level exam.

All students in grades 2-7 take the Mathematics grade level
exam.

Students in grades 8-11 who have completed or are taking
Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, or 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year
Integrated Mathematics take the appropriate course subject
exam.

Students in grade 11 who have completed or are taking
Algebra II or 3rd year Integrated Mathematics take the
grade 11 Mathematics exam.

All students in grades 9-11 who have completed or are
taking Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics take
the appropriate course subject exam.